


There’s No Need To Complicate

by heartlikethat



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Humor, Idiots in Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:54:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28128717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartlikethat/pseuds/heartlikethat
Summary: Zoey and Max are about to go on their first official date, but they’re both feeling the pressure and things go a little awry.
Relationships: Zoey Clarke/Max Richman
Comments: 14
Kudos: 25





	There’s No Need To Complicate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dawningstars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dawningstars/gifts).



> Well, since dawningstars gifted a fic to me, naturally I wanted to return the favor 😊 I whipped this up pretty quick (because I have zero chill), so my apologies if it’s terrible or there’s a bunch of mistakes.
> 
> Instead of stealing ideas from The Office like I have a tendency to do, this time I switched it up and ripped off Crazy Ex-Girlfriend! (which is the 2nd best show I’ve watched in 2020) Sorry that my brain is incapable of coming up with anything that’s ✨original✨, but hopefully this is still enjoyable!
> 
> Umm, if you hear someone screaming, that’s just me after watching that new promo today. I’m firmly Team Zoey and her doing whatever and whoever makes her happy, but I’ve also written 17 Clarkeman fics so...

“I’m just saying, do you really think it was a good idea to book a reservation at such an upscale restaurant? I feel like you’re putting way too much pressure on your first real date with Max,” Mo remarked while he flitted about his apartment, swishing around a feather duster.

“What? No! Of course not. There’s no pressure at all,” Zoey lied from her spot at the kitchen table, already feeling the sweat beading up on her back underneath her emerald green cocktail dress she had bought special for the occasion. 

“Max orchestrated a whole flash mob for me, which, admittedly, wasn’t exactly his _smartest_ move seeing as I hate being the center of attention and big public displays in general, but it was still a really sweet gesture and I just want him to know that I’m fully committed now that I’m in the right headspace for a relationship.” She drummed her fingers on the table in swift, manic succession which earned an eyebrow raise and a pointed look from Mo as he pivoted to face her.

“You don’t need some perfect, extravagant, romantic evening eating caviar sprinkled with saffron or whatever the fuck. Just follow what’s in your heart, Zogurt.”

There was a brief pause before Zoey cocked her head, her lips forming an amused smirk. “ _Zogurt?_ Really?”

Mo waved her off with one hand, brushing dust off a lampshade with the other. “Our building is being inspected today, I do not have the time to think up a clever nickname for you,” he replied dismissively and there was another pause. “Hey, you wouldn’t want to help me do some quick paint touch-ups, would you?”

Zoey hastily shoved away from the table and made for the exit. “I’m gonna go for a walk.”

“I’ll knock fifty bucks off your rent next month!” Mo shouted out after her, but Zoey was already halfway down the stairs.

* * *

Once outside in the fresh air, Zoey strolled down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace, which contradicted the current hammering that was going on inside her chest and the whirring of her mind as she realized that there would probably be _at least_ twenty different forks at this restaurant, each with a specific purpose, and how was she supposed to know which one to use? Was there like a guidebook or a diagram she could reference?

Suddenly, her dress felt entirely too tight against her ribcage, constricting her lungs and making it nearly impossible to breathe. She fumbled in her purse for her phone, extracting it with trembling hands as she opened up her messages to shoot Max a text about canceling their date.

Right before Zoey was about to hit _send_ , she glanced up to see someone hunched over a car, the hood propped open. Cautiously slowing to a stop, she stuffed her phone away and regarded the scene in front of her. She’d recognize that car (and that toned butt) anywhere.

“Max...?” She tentatively called out, watching as he swiveled around to face her, sweat glistening on his forehead which he swept away with the back of his hand.

“Uh, so what’s happening here?” She asked, gesturing toward his Audi and trying to ignore how the sight of a sweaty and bearded Max in well-fitted suit resulted in an abrupt rise of her body temperature.

Max placed his hands on his hips, momentarily bowing his head as he huffed out an incredulous little laugh before redirecting his attention on her. “Well, in order of importance, I’m sweating through my suit, I possibly just split my pants, and my car won’t start.” He shifted on his feet and tilted his head as he jutted an arm toward her. “What’re you doing out here?” Zoey didn’t miss the appreciative way his eyes skimmed over her body, a fresh wave of warmth flushing her skin.

Zoey shrugged. “Just felt like going for a walk around the neighborhood.” Then, feeling weirdly shy under the heat of his gaze, nodded her head toward his car, “Let’s get you to the shop.”

“Yeah.” He shook his head, a smile tugging at the right corner of his mouth as he repeated himself, “Yeah, okay.”

For a moment, they just stared at each other before breaking into simultaneous laughter, Zoey pulling out her phone to call them a tow truck.

* * *

“Well, it’s gonna take a long time to fix it,” Max announced, sitting down in the empty chair next to her, his jacket and tie having already been discarded on the way over to the dealership. He was now clad in a crisp white button down with the sleeves rolled up and the top few buttons undone, teasing Zoey by revealing a smattering of chest hair, her mind vividly recalling the image of a shirtless Max in Mo’s apartment from months ago.

He rested his hands on his knees and leaned back, his head hitting the wall as he emitted a soft sigh. “I guess our date’s been ruined, huh?” His brown eyes darted over to her as he awaited her response.

Zoey shifted in her chair and leaned toward him, shaking her head as she reached out to grab his hand. “No, definitely not.”

“I mean, I guess we could always Uber to the restaurant...” he trailed off when Zoey shook her head again, more firmly this time.

Max squeezed her hand and sat up straight, peering at her with a trace of hesitancy in his expression. “Hey, can I be honest with you?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve been dreading this whole thing. Not being with you, that part I love. Just the super fancy dinner at the super fancy restaurant, which I know you picked out and really wanted to go to, it just felt like there was all this pressure for everything to be perfect and then this happened...” 

At his admission, relief flooded through Zoey and a smile slowly spread its way across her face.

“Can I let you in on a little secret?” She spoke in a low tone and Max turned to face her more fully, curiosity sparking in his eyes. “Before I ran into you on the street, I was seconds away from having a panic attack and texting you to cancel our date. Not that I didn’t want to see you...but I was also very much feeling the pressure of the situation.”

Max absorbed her words before he grinned and started chuckling deep in his throat, bending his head forward until their foreheads were almost touching.

“We make quite the pair, don’t we?” He asked softly, brushing his thumb across her hand as he playfully nudged his knee against hers.

“Yeah, we do,” she agreed just as quietly, a feeling of contentment welling up inside her chest at the perfect simplicity of the moment. No fancy restaurant required for them to confess what they both already know to be true in their hearts.

Zoey slipped her hand free from his grasp and patted the top of her thighs with her palms. “Since you’re gonna be here for the next few hours, I’ll just wait with you.”

“Really? You would do that?”

“Yeah, of course. I’ve got nothing to do. I mean, I had a reservation at this super fancy restaurant,” she threw him a sly smile, fingering the hem of her dress, “but I’d much rather be here with you.”

A matching smile appeared on Max’s face. “Do you want to order something? I’m starving.”

“Ooh, yeah, I would do that.”

“What do you want? What are you in the mood for?”

“Um...Italian?” She suggested.

“No, I just went to Serrano’s for lunch today. What about Thai?”

Zoey shot him a sheepish smile. “That’s what I had for lunch. But any other place, really. You pick.”

“Okay. Although,” he held up a finger and pointed it at himself, “I picked last time.”

“Oh, you did and we went to that Indian place, which I _loved._ ”

“Mhm,” he confirmed with a grin. “Do you wanna do that again?”

Zoey tapped her finger against her chin as she considered it before her eyes lit up with excitement. “No! You know what I want? I want that new taco place!”

“The one on Union Street? I heard that’s amazing.”

“Right?” Zoey said eagerly, reaching for her phone so she could pull up the menu and start their order. She rambled off a few options until she heard the unmistakable opening notes of a heartsong, stopping to stare expectantly at Max who was looking at her with such love in his expression, it stole the air from her lungs.

As she held his gaze, the music suddenly faded away at the exact moment he gave a slight shake of his head and he grabbed the hand that wasn’t currently clutching her phone. “Hey, you’re the love of my life. You know that, right?” He lifted their conjoined hands, pressing a light kiss to one of her knuckles, causing her heart to skip a beat and her breath to catch in her throat.

It wasn’t the first time he had professed his love to her, but it was the first time he had said it when she knew, without a doubt, that she reciprocated his feelings.

Zoey, who had been dreaming of kissing Max again for months, threaded her fingers through his hair and drew him in close to do exactly that, but first she murmured, “I love you, too.” As an afterthought, she expelled a breathless laugh and added, “I’m yours,” before she crushed her lips against his.


End file.
